Moment
by Phylaphy
Summary: Sai x Ino. Setting after Shikamaru Hidden, their relationship during the gap of Narutoverse. "How do you fall in love?" "Through moments." chap 9 updated 03/31/17, updated everyweek!
1. PROLOGUE

**PROLOGUE**

Ino was diving inside darkness. Deeper and deeper still.

She still hadn't find Sai.

No matter how much she dived and dived, all that surrounded Ino was a deep, inky blackness. This was Sai, after all. He wasn't fully aware of who his true self was on a daily basis. He wasn't going to be found easily.

 _But she was going to save him no matter what…_

Because if Ino couldn't save Sai, then her coming here would be meaningless. She desperately continued floundering through the layers of Sai's heart. The shintenshin no jutsu could make you move someone else's body according to your own will, and the method to it was exerting your influence from the insides of those peoples' hearts. During the chuunin exams, Ino had clearly realised this when she and Sakura had fought for control of the latter's heart.

Back in Konoha, she had read Sai's letter, seen his handwriting turned messy and chaotic with a grief she couldn't hope to grasp. In that moment, Ino had felt Sai's suffering so keenly that it hurt. At that moment, Ino hadn't yet known about Gengo or the genjutsu or anything else, but she had clearly thought to herself that she had to go. Of course, she wanted to save Shikamaru as well, but the trigger for Ino to start moving was Sai's distressed letter.  
Sai, who was constantly worried about the blankness of his own heart, was suffering more than anyone else under Gengo's genjutsu. There was no one who could save Sai from that other than Ino.

 _And that was why she was determined to keep diving, no matter how deep she had to go._

When you dived too deep into other people's hearts, the first thing that would happen was your own existence starting to blur at the edges. The last thing that would happen was your consciousness disappearing completely in those depths. Once that happened, there was no turning back. There was a reason Ino was taking such a big risk to save Sai.

… _she wanted to talk to him more._

Sai who always gave such lonely smiles, she wanted to get to know him more and more. There was no way she could leave him in a dark place like this.

Soon, Ino started to feel some faint warmth coming from the darkness. A faint light…  
She'd come across a large gathering of chakra. A mix of people's chakra…  
Naruto.  
Sakura.  
Yamato.  
Kakashi.

All of Konoha's shinobi were there.

 _It was like a lone fire burning in the middle of a blizzard._ Ino dived a little, eyes peering into the giant tangle, searching amidst everyone's chakra.

 _There he was…_ cocooned in the middle of everyone's warmth was Sai.

"Sai!" Ino desperately reached out for him. "Over here!" Sai looked up at the sound of her voice. Both his eyes were red and swollen from crying.

"Come on." Ino said. "Let's get out of here together."

"You're…" Ino reached out, her hand finally landing on Sai's shoulder, firm and reassuring.

"Let's go, alright?" She said. In that moment, Sai smiled.

Ino had never seen him smile so naturally before.

Ino was breathing deeply and heavily, as if she'd just broken through the surface of a very deep ocean. She took in great lungfuls of air, her body desperate for oxygen.  
The darkness had been left behind, and now the background was brimming with light.  
Sakura and Chouji were standing guard over them. Ino was sitting across the sleeping Sai.

"How'd it go, Ino?" Although she heard Chouji's question, Ino was too drained to answer. Sai's head was close to Ino's knee. Slowly, his eyes opened. Before she noticed who had reached out first, they had clasped their hands together.

"Sai."

"You…" Sai dazedly murmured, tightening his hold. "You were…"

"You can stop worrying already." Tears had started leaking out of Ino's eyes.

"Thank you, miss beautiful."

"Idiot…"

The two gently smiled at each other.

* * *

 _A/N : This is my first attempt to write SaixIno fic. The prologue was taken from Shikamaru Hidden. This story is how Sai and Ino ended up together in Naruto, on my imagination._

 _Because love is not something you catch from a thin air._

 _-Phylaphy_


	2. UN

_All I know is a simple name, and everything has changed._

 _-Taylor Swift_

 **UN**

Summer has come to Konoha, the sun blaze its heat on the clear blue sky above. The dry weather soon would dehydrated any living things out there quickly. Luckily, Ino had tend her garden meticulously to keep them _barely_ alive. She picked two sunflowers from her own garden and wrapped them carefully. After checked everything, she locked up her shop for a while and went out.

As soon as she went out, the summer heat struck her. The blonde quickly use paper fan to send the heat away. _If only I had bigger fan, a fan so big that could sent these hot wind away…_ she found herself amused at the thought of Temari and her giant fan. If she thought about Temari, she'd unconciously thought about Shikamaru too. The last time she heard, Shikamaru finally had the gut to ask the Suna Princess out for a date. _About time,_ Ino laughed inside, _that lazy bum finally have someone that can make him awake from his sleep._

Ino entered Konoha hospital, wiped out some of the sweat on her forehead. It felt nice being inside a building, being protected by the sunstroke and heat. She took the lift to the third floor, going to the furthest door on the right wing. Just on the corner, Sakura came out of the room which Ino intended to go.

"Oh, Ino?" Sakura greeted her first, she didn't close the door in purpose, knowing Ino would enter the room.

"You're lucky you're in here since morning until night, Sakura. I swear the heat is trying to claw my skin." Sakura threw her a cynical look.

"You can take my shift anytime you want, I'd be more than happy to have another life outside here anyway." The two ladies chuckled at each other's comments. Sakura waved her goodbye before Ino strode inside the room.

"Hello!" she greeted cheerfully to the man sitting on the bed.

"Yamanaka-san." Sai greeted her back, usual smile playing on his pale face. Ino closed the door and walked to his bed, put down the plastic of sun flowers on the table beside his bed.

"How are you? I met Sakura outside." She took out lavenders she put on the vase on table yesterday, replaced them with the bright, cheerful sun flowers.

"Sakura said I can go home tomorrow." Sai watched the new flowers on his vase. Ever since he was sent to the hospital after the incident of Gengo in the Land of Silence three days ago, Ino always came to visit him and brought him flowers. His injury were nothing serious in his opinion, the external injury he experienced didn't bring him into a fatal condition, Sai himself didn't know why it took almost three days for him to be discharged. He had overheard Sakura talked with Tsunade outside yesterday about his mental state, he thought it must've related with the genjutsu casted on him.

"It's good then." Ino glanced at him. She took a chair and sit beside his bed. Her eyes took a sight of him, like she usually did whenever she visited him. An unusual habit developed since three days ago.

Sai stared at her equally intense, his eyes scanned over her face. Although Ino always came visited him during his stay in three days, they haven't really been catched up to each other. On the first day, Sakura was with him along with Naruto when she came. Ino only sent him a smile from afar then wave him goodbye after putting Peruvian lilies on the vase.

The second time she came, he was under strong psychotic drugs that knocked him up. His blurred vision saw her form came inside his room, changing lilies into lavenders, then ever so lightly he felt a little tap on his shoulder. She whispered him something but he couldn't catch it right before he fell into a deep sleep. At night the only visitor for him was Sakura who only came to check on his medicine then leave without further ado.

They never actually talk much, both of them. Even before the Land of Silence mission, they haven't even gone in mission together along with their own respective teams. For Sai, Yamanaka Ino was the matriarch of Yamanaka clan, a grown-up woman who wore revealing clothes of purple, had long blonde hair and baby blue eyes. He didn't add up much of her info in his usual notebook of his own opinion, other than her jutsu ability and maybe some unnecessary things like her nicknamed from Sakura.

Other than that, Sai never know about her personally. And so did she. He's pretty much sure they haven't really talk to each other at all.

There came the awkwardness when he was left alone with people he didn't really close with, a person he practically owned a lot for saving him before.

"Ano, Yamanaka-san…" he decided to start the conversation.

"Just Ino is okay, Sai." Sai hesitant a bit, since the Land of Silence accident he realized he became a lot more self-conscious now, eventhough Sakura said his 'remarkably annoying blunt comments' hadn't gone at all.

"Ino," Sai tested the name rolling on his tongue. It came out awkward since he didn't usually address someone without honorific outside Naruto and Sakura. "I haven't thank you properly."

"Me? for what?" she looked genuily curious.

"For saving me back there." He saw her expression fazed, then slowly she forced a smile that came out as awkward as he did before with her name. "I supposed to thank you three days ago, but I usually blacked out before I could actually talk to you…"

"You'd do the same if it was for your teammates too. No big deal." She reasoned, eyes wandered to the floor, avoiding his gaze. _Maybe she was right. It was for the team. No big deal for her._

"Well… I should go now. Hope you recovery soon." Ino gave him a usual smile of her and exited herself calmly.

He had seen her interact with her teammates and judging from her dynamic with Sakura, he conclude she was a loud woman, maybe close enough to be Naruto female counterpart. But somehow right now he felt she act more cautiously at her. Maybe it's because she had seen the darkest part of his mind, that now it's kinda hard not being a self-conscious one when she faced him and vice versa. Afterall, letting someone came inside your mind, seeing the darkest part of you, _your very core of weakness,_ is a big deal for him.

 _No matter how inconvenience she tried to say it was no big deal for a mind-jutsu user like her._

Sai turned his gaze into the vase of sunflowers beside him.

 _Ino was the first person and maybe the only one ever sent him flowers._

* * *

Ino had promised to pay Hinata a visit today. She planned to give her flowers buds to be planted on Hyuuga manor's garden. Her mind replaying the awkward scene she just ended minutes ago from his bedroom. Sakura would surely laughed at her if she knew Ino now felt a little bit scared of talking with Sai. Ino couldn't help that, as if she didn't careful enough with her words and action, he'll fell into the same pit of darkness again. She didn't know how to act normally ever since she knew the deep of his mind.

 _He was a lot stronger than you actually thought,_ she said to herself. _He wouldn't break apart just because some genjutsu casted on him and bring out the worst of him. And why I thought about him this much lately?_ She frowned. Ino understood a lot that she always had soft spot for the pale nin, but apart from his similarity with Sasuke, now she began to look at Sai as… Sai.

As if the Land of Silence incident made her discovered a whole new Sai. And she couldn't help but curious at this man she always had her eyes on but not really know him personally.

Those type of man like Sasuke and Sai was not really a close friend material for her. As she grew up, she understand some people just give in distant vibe, as if they're out of reach. They're only fun to chase, to adore, to look at, to dreamed of. But when it comes to more serious matter of feeling, Ino knew it'd take more than a mere feeling of crush to be with them. Sakura's never ending loyalty to Sasuke had proven her theory.

 _Sometimes, she wonders how it feels to love someone that much, that way._

True, she cried when Konoha 11 planned on take down Sasuke once, but it was a friend's tears. She'd cry the same too if it was Chouji or Shikamaru. She basicly swept her tears for those she care about.

And she realized it a little bit late that Sai fell into that group now. There's something about him that made her jump and dive deeper and deeper with sole reason; to find him and save him no matter what. A reason she herself knew but not yet known how to deal with it.

 _How much do you like someone to call it a love? Do I like him as… like a friend? Or something else?_

"Konnichiwa, Hinata-chan." Ino greeted the indigo haired woman who opened the door of Hyuuga manor's gate.

"Konnichiwa, Ino-chan…"

"I brought the flower buds you ask, here." She handed Hinata three sachets of buds. "watered them a little bit more until they show first leaf, okay? Then you could decrease the watering frequency little by little, but I suggest you still watered them plenty on this dry weather." Hinata listens to the florist's explanation carefully.

"How about coming for a little bit, Ino-chan? I can give you a glass cold water as a thank you…" Ino quickly accept the idea.

They both came in to the main house of Hyuuga manor, sitting on the veranda that face the Hyuuga garden. Ino could easily tell the garden was tend neatly, all the flowers and tree didn't seem to dehydrated at this dry hot weather. It made her happy to see a garden being carefully tend by people. After gulped down a glass of cold water that felt like heaven, she initiated the conversation with her shy friend.

"So how are you? Everything's going well with Naruto?" Ino looked at the blushed maiden beside her.

"It is… going well…"

"Thay's beyond expectation…has he ever do something stupid?" Hinata thought a second, then laughed silently.

"Yesterday Naruto-kun just came back from Suna … he said the summer there could dehydrated people just by standing on the outside for an hour."

"I bet he just knew that basic thing because he did that to himself." Hinata's laugh confirmed Ino's theory. Ino lied down on the tatami, eyes staring at the ceiling on Hyuuga's household, her mind still working on her previous question.

 _Is it when you thinking about that someone non-stop? Is it when you started to think you wanted to know more about that person, everything about him suddenly mattered to you?_

"Something bothering you, Ino-chan?" Hinata looked at her friend, who gave her a little smile. "It's unusual for you to be like this… you and Sakura are bestfriend, did something happen?" Ino woke from her position.

"It's not like I'm on a fight with Sakura, Hinata-chan. We are fine. It's just… I have matters that can't be discussed with Sakura right now." She just not ready to talk about her feeling toward Sai to anyone, while she herself not even sure.

"…is it about Sasuke?" Ino shook her head lightly. "Sai?" her baby blue eyes widened at Hinata's guess. "I heard about what happen in the Land of Silent three days ago from Naruto-kun. Is he okay now?"

Ino's eyes looked afar to the garden ahead. "I hope so. Tsunade-sama told me he's going to be fine. We all agree we wouldn't tell much about the way he attack us before, since he himself didn't know what he had done while under genjutsu."

Hinata watched Ino's expression carefully. "You're worried about him." Ino frowned a little bit before answered her statement.

"Well... maybe. I've seen what's inside his mind, Hinata. It's dark… and he was there alone…" she recalling the memories, it's not a very good feeling to resurface the memory. "he had constantly worried about blankness in his heart. I just wonder how to stop him feeling that way…"

"Do you like him?" Ino's face blushed at the sudden question. Talking to Hinata about feelings was way different than talking with Sakura, of course. There's different weight being talked here.

"Well, eventhough he made stupid comment sometimes, it doesn't make me think of him less of a friend…"

"How about as a woman to a man?" Ino didn't answer her quickly. She seemed not sure about the answer either.

Ino let Hinata's question hanging on the mist of her thought.

* * *

The next day, about two past thirty on the afternoon, Ino went across an unexpected man on Konoha street after she finished sending a buqouet to Shizune-senpai. He held a sketch book on his right hand, and a sling bags attached on his back. He donned his casual long sleeves buttoned shirt, it meant he had no mission today.

"Sai!" she waved hand at him. The called man smiled back at her, stopping right in front of her.

"Good afternoon." He acknowledged her greetings politely, then added; "Ino." He had tried to roll out her name in a more comfortable way now, although it still sounded weird for him to address someone without honorific.

"So you had been discharged, I see. How are you?" He blinked, listening her question.

"I think I'm fine, I wouldn't be discharged if I weren't, was I?"

"I meant... well, how's your day?" Ino wasn't sure she had the right way of arranging words to make this clueless man understand a standart way of talking, but she surely couldn't just bluntly asked 'do you still have nightmares of driving people away and constant worry of your blankness?'

"I'm not doing anything this morning, and I'm thinking about doing sketchs on Hokage Mountain this afternoon."

"Oh, you're back on sketching!" she said way too excited, a little surprised him.

"Back on sketching? Where had I come back from, exactly?" he put on thinking face. "Ino?" he pressed her more. _Curiosity as big as a little kid_ , Ino noted.

"Well … you know, about what you had faced back then… on Shikamaru's mission…" Ino stopped midtrack. _Put things as simple as it meant was the only way to deal with him, probably._ "I meant to ask… are you okay now?"

He looked at her thoroughly, seemed getting held of her real question. Sai went silent for seconds, before giving her his signature smile. This time, Ino frowned.

"Why do you always smile?" she asked.

"It helps me getting out of trouble," the pale nin's smile hasn't fade yet.

"My question troubling you?"

He looked at her thoroughly before answer slowly. "No… it's because I don't think I myself able to answer your question."

 _He still the same unreadable, cluless man._ Ino sighed. Her intention of befriended him can wait some other time. _What's important now is he's recovered._

"Alright, alright. I should go now anyway. See you, Sai!" she finally said, gave up on his silence. They exchanged one last respective smile before parted ways.

Ino glanced at his back, wondering if he ever have actual smile.

* * *

 _A/N : English is not my first languange, sorry for the grammar spelling mistake :)_

 _Hope you like it._


	3. DEUX

**DEUX**

It's already half past eleven when Ino finally could exit the Konoha's hospital.

She felt like her body just crushed from Chouji's secret technique of getting his body went into a giant. Sometimes she herself didn't know how she manage the hardest jobs in the shinobi world; being a botanist, a medical nin in hospital, and recently Ibiki-san had contacted her to once again fulfilled the Yamanaka's clan inherited job in Interrogating Division.

Sakura commented she did one hell of a job, it would be a little nice if forehead say it honestly; 'Pick one can't you, Ino-pig? Are you a masochist or what?' _said the woman who had been desperately in love with a man that constantly hurting him before_ , Ino retorted mentally.

A loud sound emerge from her tummy, and the blonde kunoichi sighed in defeat. She needed to eat, she knew that. It's been too long since the last time she fed herself properly. But where could she found a good, hot meals at this late?

 _What about the thing she avoid the most as a woman on diet?_ Ramen of course. The yummy thing that gave you blurped face in the morning if you eat it at night. Ichiraku Ramen opened up 24 hours a day. She knew that since Naruto basicly spending night there being wasted. Ramen was his alcohol, presumably.

So Ino brought her legs to Ichiraku, her diet can be forgotten for one night.

* * *

"…I'm loss at words, honestly." Kakashi put down a piece of paper on his desk, his droppy eyes scanned the ink based jutsu user's smile in front of him.

"My works too brilliant made you lost at words?" his eyes were lost in his smiley face.

"No… it's because you submit your report way too late than the due date, and what bother me the most is…" Kakashi sighed in his chair. "why you gave it to me _right now_? It's almost midnight Sai. You can't barge through Hokage's door at midnight just to submit your report…"

Here Kakashi wondered why the member of team seven never act normally.

"I just came back from a mission, then I remember I should gave you the report before I go to another mission tomorrow morning. But I don't know your house so I thought you slept here on your office and I'm right." Kakashi wanted to slam his own forehead to the desk listening to Sai's absurd explanation. The ex-ROOT member surely had unique logic on his dark haired head.

"Well… it's not about the place, Sai. It's the time you chose." Kakashi replied. He was right on the middle of dreamland when Sai barged into his office and handing him his last mission's report. "There are intimate, private time that one's not supposedly disturbed unless it's an urgent matter; such as midnight when people usually sleep…"

Sai blinked his eyes then nodded. "I see, I disturb your private time then, by coming onto the office in the middle of the night?"

"More or less."

"I understand now." Sai flashed him his smile before heading out. Kakashi took a relief sigh, at least Sai now wouldn't disturb his midnight sleep anymore.

"I'll find Shizune-san to get your address and submit my report another time. Goodnight, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi deadpanned. Looks like Sai didn't actually understand a thing at all. Just pray to God Sai didn't barged in his house while he was in bath or something.

* * *

"It's unusual to see you here at midnight, Ino-chan."

"Yah, it's been long, Ayame-tan." Ino accepted the chopstick given by Teuchi's daughter. In matter of seconds she started slurped down the ramen. Her eyes looked around, she was the only customer at that time. "Naruto didn't come here tonight?"

"He often came for lunch with Hinata." Ayame replied while washing the dishes. "Come to think of it, he never came alone here again since they're in a relationship. So I guess he always came at lunch time because Hinata's probably prohibited to date him at night."

"Makes sense. Those two stick together like glue these days." Ino take a sip at her hot tea. _Heaven_ , she thought. _Been too long since had a warm meal and hot drink lately._ Ayame looked at her and smiled.

"How about you, Ino-chan?" Ino finished her tea in one shot then put the glass down before answering her question calmly.

"I guess I'm not as lucky as Hinata." She added with sheepish smile.

"Really? How about those guys flirting with you? I knew you have loads of fanboys, Ino-chan~" Ayame place her elbow on the counter, enjoyed teasing the younger woman. As much as Ino enjoyed taking pride about that, she was dead tired right now to deal with boys talks.

"I don't even have time for date, Ayame-tan. Ibiki-san rarely get me out of Anbu HQ." Ino just realizing how pathetic her love life lately.

"Then why don't you date those Anbu guys? That pale guy with ink-jet black hair…" Ino didn't have to think hard to know who she might meant and understand fully Ayame was teasing her. Of course Sakura, Naruto and Sai ever came by here and maybe that forehead had some words slipped. If anyone if Konoha ever openly talked about her love life, it must've came from Sakura.

"Oh, he's coming here!" Ayame squaled and tapping the counter excitedly, but Ino didn't even looked up from her bowl.

"Really, Ayame? Use that lame trick on me? I'm not gonna−"

"Good night, Ino." Her words hanging on her mouth, mouth stop midtrack at the greetings. The chair beside her was dragged away, and soon Sai joined beside her. She was a sensory ninja, for God's sake, and this man's presence didn't even alerted her. _Guess I really need a very good sleep after this, or else enemy would sneak behind and I still not aware._

"Night." She answered his greeting while composed herself back.

"What can I do for you, eh…?"

"Sai." Ino answering Ayame's unspoken question. "his name is Sai if you wondered before."

Sai looked at Ino then Ayame, questioning; "Why do you wonder my name?" Ino chuckled at his innocent question. She learn that Sai asked many question to people around him.

"Maybe she interested in you," Ino commented, smirk at Ayame.

"Oh, did you?" he asked innocently. Ayame laughed at both of them.

"No, Sai-kun, unfortunately I didn't so much. But I know for sure now that Ino-chan likes you." She then went into the back kitchen, busying herself to prepare Sai's usually meal when team seven come here.

Ino only opened her mouth to retorted Ayame's tease, but she then close her mouth, pouting. Sai watched Ino slurped down her own ramen, to then she turned her head at him, chopstick on mouth.

"What?" she asked, clearly uncomfortable because he was caught looking at like that.

"I'm just wondering why you're here at this late. Usually I found Naruto here."

"I'm wondering the same for you, but do you really need to look at me while I'm eating like that?"

Sai's mind recalling last event, when Kakashi told him about private moment.

"I'm sorry. I didn't meant to make you uncomfortable." He apologize sincerely. _So people also don't like to be looked at while they're eating_ , Sai made a mental note. _Eating is another private moment._

"It's fine. Just don't stare when people eat, it's creep them out. Anyway, so what are you doing here at this late?" Ino poured down a glass of hot tea then surprisingly serve it for him, she handed it to him. She took another bite of ramen with her chopstick, didn't really pay attention to him. Sai took initiative to take a sip of her served tea. _Sakura never poured me a glass of tea, should I found what this act means in human book of relationship later,_ he thought.

"I just finish submitting my report." Ayame came out of the kitchen and handing him his own bowl of ramen. "And you?" he looked at her, right when Ino leaning over him, her chopstick pointed at his bowl.

Sai blinked at their sudden close proximity.

"Just finish rounds at hospital. Your squid looks delicious, can I take one bite?"

Naruto told him once that leaning closer is invading personal space, but truthfully he didn't mind so much about their proximity. He rarely paid attention in details for someone's physical appearance, but at this close distance he couldn't help but noted her big eyes actually had shade of green instead just plain blue. And those eyes now staring at him, waiting for answer behind her thick, long eyelashes.

 _Don't stare someone openly too long, it's rude._ He remembered once Sakura punched him when he commented about her choice of eyeshadows once. So he made up his mind quickly to her request. "Then I'll take one bite from yours too to be fair."

"Agree." She took his squid and chewed it without so much thought. She leaned back to her original state, then moved her bowl to him. "Help yourself."

Sai took a bite of her ramen. _It's a beef ramen,_ he tasted it.

"Good?" She asked him. He nodded. "Do you always order that seafood ramen? You like it that much?" He shook his head.

"I'm not used to difference taste everytime I eat."

"Wow, your life must be boring then."

"Why?" he intrigued at her open comment.

"Is'nt life too long to spent with only one taste of meal? Here, let's trade." He had watched Ino and Sakura's dynamic friendship along with bossy nature and now he experienced it himself. Sai blinked at the new menu in front of him. _Well, it didn't taste bad actually... maybe today is a good day to give new taste a try._

He eat his ramen in silence while Ino do the talks. "Why do you submit your report this late? Do you have another mission on the early morning?"

"Yes." He answered in between eating his meal. Team seven didn't usually make conversation during eats partly because Naruto basicly just slurped down all the ramen and went to his own heaven whenever he's enjoying his ramen.

"And when do you sleep then? It's around two in the morning now." Sai had a little hard time describing his habit of sleeping. He didn't have exact sleeping-time dependent habit like common people.

"Usually I fall asleep later after my mission had accomplished."

"And your team didn't mind that?"

"Ibiki-san always sent me alone."

Truthfully, Sai It's not usual for him to have someone making conversation with him. Part of him wondering if he had did the right way of doing conversation, but she seems didn't mind much about his short answer. The conversation just went naturally. Ino poured down the hot tea for herself, while he keep stealing glance at her. Maybe having conversation with her it's not all that awkward afterall. She made it comes easy for him not to think too much about the proper way to communicate.

Her curiosity seem genuine for his answer, not just a formality because they sit side by side. _Why she even interest at his day fazed him._

"...do you often came here this late after rounds?" he asked her first for the sake of returned the same interest at her day.

Ino looked at him, a little bit taken aback because he made the conversation first.

"Kind of. Lately. Usually I just go straight home..." Ino yawned, covered her mouth with her hands. "Nah, I think I should go now." She awoke from her seat and call Ayame inside.

"Finish already?" Ayame looked at her, accepting the payment.

"Yeah, before I fell asleep on the way home. Good night Sai," Ino tapped his shoulder lightly before wave away. The man stopped his attempt to eat the last bite of his ramen when she did that. He wasn't sure anyone ever do that kind of thing to him.

Ayame turn her gaze to the frozen man. "Are you not going to walk her home?"

"Should I?" He seemed a bit unsure, glance at her back that going further into the dark street.

"It's not nice for a man to let a woman wander around at this late. Beside, she had been a nice companion for your late dinner, hadn't her?" Sai went silent then put down his chopstick. He pay his own meal on the counter and looked at Ayame.

"Oh, by what you said before that she likes me, what do you actually imply?" Ayame laughed at his clueless question.

"You should find out yourself about that, Mr. Anbu. Go now, before she fell asleep on the street." Sai leap onto the dark street, Ayame can only chuckled seeing him and Ino's interaction. She did hide behind the curtain before and listening to their conversation.

She hoped she'll get to hear their conversation more from now on.

* * *

Ino stretched her arms out, yawning loudly. Since she was donned on her casual outfit and a jacket so she didn't feel so much cold. But hospital round had taken toll on her, she didn't have much energy left to leap from roof to roof, effectively leave her to walk by foot.

Ino heard light footsteps behind her and instincvely turn around rather than wasting her chakra to find out who it is. Sai walked behind her, nodded politely in her astounished acknowledgement. She knew he made it in purposed to be heard, what bother her is why this man didn't just called her name, rather than just following her silently like some creep?

"Are we walking home on the same way?" She wasn't sure where he lives, but surely nowhere near her apartment.

"I'll walk you home." His pale skin glowed in the dark. Ino rise an eyebrow at him.

"Huh? Why?" she stopped, waiting for him to stand in front of her. "Is that why you following me without even called me? Sai, really, that creeps people out."

"Someone told me it's rude to let a woman wander alone at this late… I just wanna make sure you arrived safely. I didn't mean to come out like a creepy stalker." _This man and his blantantly honest comment…_ Ino held back a laugh at his antics.

"I'm a capable kunoichi, Sai... you dont have to worry about me," Ino chuckled. It's been too long since any man walk her home, too long for any man to worry of her safety. Chouji and Shikamaru knew too well no one would mess with the Yamanaka matriarch, and so other normal boys in Konoha. "Though I do appreciate your offer. It's kinda sweet, you know."

"What part of it is sweet?" Ino waved hands at his dumb question.

"Never mind. I really can go home alone, you should go back and sleep. My house still far from here, it'll take too long for you to go back−"

He took out his scroll and draw his beast ink. "He'll take you home faster. Just tapped his head… like you did to my shoulder before. He'll run back to me."

"Wow… I honestly never thought you'd be this gentle since the day I found out you only called me 'beautiful' while actually thinking of the opposite." Sai's face went paler if it could. He had once experience Ino's punch while he wrote down her and Sakura's nickname as 'pig' and 'forehead'. He didn't want to experience that again.

"Nicknames are hard." he muttered. Ino laughed at him.

"You're a funny one, you know? If I didn't take your antics way too seriously, you actually a funny, good man." He felt oddly warmth at her odds praise. Afterall, being his honest self actually invite more punch than laughs. She climbed up to the ink tiger who seems smitten at the new rider. "I'll give him back to you soon."

She waved one last goodnight to him and went into the end of the street.

Sai unconsciously rubbed his shoulder where she tapped him before. Ino might be the first woman made physical connection to him other than Sakura's usual punch.

* * *

Later on, the ink creature really come back with Ino's post it on his forehead;

 _Thank you for tonight. Good luck with you mission!_

He keep that post it on his walls, along with all others his sketches, made the bright yellow sticky notes stood out among black-and-white sketches. _Just like her_ , he silently thought before drove to a quick sleep.


	4. TROIS

**TROIS**

"Do you see Sai?" Ino's head popped up on Sakura's slightly opened door. Sakura moved her chair backward to face Ino, pen sticking out on her hand. She was on the middle of studying another medical jutsu on their spare bedroom on hospital. Cause they both spent so many fucking hours at hospital, they both get spare room to spent the night now.

"No, haven't seen him today. Why?"

"Kakashi just gave me mission and Sai supposedly my partner but that man didn't even showed up." Ino stood by the door, hand folded in front of her chest. "Do you happen to know where he lives?"

Sakura shook her head. "Maybe Naruto knows."

"Naruto is on another mission with team 10." Honestly, since Naruto and Hinata became a thing, Naruto basicly always tagged along with her teams in every mission. Kinda funny though, seeing the self-acclaimed next Hokage plead to Kakashi to let him tagged along.

"Maybe he's in Anbu HQ, Ino." Ino shrugged off, thinking Sakura maybe right. "eh, I think this is the first time you both went into mission. What kind of mission?" she could see Sakura's little smile play on her lips.

"Don't get your hopes too high, forehead. Kakashi just want us to fix Konoha's South wall."

"It's still a good chance, isn't it? You're the one pestering me about his condition when he was on hospital after the Land of Silence mission. Come clean about your feeling towards him now, cant you?"

"It's just because you're the medic-nin in charge. Can't I be worried of a fallen comrade's condition? He's my friend too."

"Doubt that." Sakura had fun teasing the blonde. Ino would act like a shy maiden when it comes to Sai lately. Sakura suspect it's because her childish crush to the pale nin had now taken into a different level, though Ino always denied the seriousness.

"Geez, why talking to any member of team seven is so hard? Just tell him to come and find me there if you met him, okay?" Ino waved goodbye at her pink-haired bestfriend and exited herself.

Ino had looking for the pale-nin this morning, after Kakashi gave her the mission. Since both of them had same interest in beutification, Kakashi had place them both in Village infrastructure restoration. Usually they had different task, so Sakura was right, this was the first time they partnered.

It's been weeks since they last time they met, actually. Ino still saw him on the street sometimes, and their small greetings consist of a glance and nodded of acknowledgement. Sometimes Ino wished they're teammates so they could spent more time and know each other better. What makes those black eyes always seems so distant, what makes him always do the lonely smile, Ino did want to know.

* * *

It's one hour after she arrived on South Wall, that Sai finally came up. He jumped out of his ink-falcon and apologize for his lateness. She just finished inspecting the crumbled walls, making plans to rebuild it. Planning was just a habit she got naturally from hanging too much around Shikamaru _(you can't expect to went on shogi with him without any plan)_.

"Just come back from a mission?" she concluded, judging from his Anbu vest and dishelved hair. Sai nodded, dismissed the ink-falcon. "you're not tired?"

"I'm fine, Bijin-san." Ino battled her eyelashes before look at him. Then suddenly she burst on laugh. Sai titled his head in curiosity.

"Nothing." She answered, turned her back on him so he didn't have to see her laughing. _He came back to nicknames._ Apparently, Sai had come back to his usual self, means he had overcome what happened in Land of Silence before. _No need to be cautious again around him now._

Sai stood in front of the crumble walls, thinking.

"Quite a work." Ino said, handing him her notes. She had written the things they should do, where the crumbled walls should be fixed. It's a surprised for him she actually knew how to build a wall, noting that all he knew she was a botanist. _Maybe Yamanaka Ino is so much more than just what meet the eyes._

"Last group had left the brick and dough, but I don't think it'll covered all the crumbled walls. We still need another loads. That's where I'll need your falcon for transportation." She explained to him. "I'll start from the far east end, how about you start from the other side?" he nodded at her command.

Sai draw his beast ink to help her. "You know, if I could get used with your ink creatures I may want to have them as pet one day." She said jokingly, thinking back on he used his tiger ink one day to carried her home.

"You want them as pet?" he raised an eyebrow. "but they'll be gone when my chakra is low."

"No, I meant… forget it. Let's start." Ino motioned the beast to help her carry sack of bricks. She looked at the beast ink that had stoic expression just like the owner while they're walking away and raised an eyebrow.

"He can't draw you in prettier way, can he? Can you actually talk? Can you understand me?" the beast looked at her and surprisingly, he nodded. "wow, I really could get used of you." She patted the beast's mane, eventhough knowing there's no fur nor ink will meet her skin.

* * *

Ino lost track of time while arranging the bricks on the crumpled walls. The beast came in handy, he would let her stood atop of him when she tried to reach highers end. And help carry the weight stuff. He's a good listener too, though the beast didn't actually reply her words. Ino liked to talk, and so she liked anyone, anything, that'd like to listen.

"…and so I told Shika to be manly and go up tell Temari that he likes her. I meant, what actually the hardship of saying 'I love you' to the one you love?" she took another brick and turned her head towards the beast, who only blinked its eyes. "hey I just realized since you're made of his ink, his chakra, you also act like him, eh?"

The beast titled his head. Ino imagined Sai now look at her like that.

"If only you're a real living thing, maybe you could tell me one or two things about your owner." She said while looking at him thoroughly. Sai had painted him in details, somehow she find herself adore his skill with ink. "I wonder what he's doing in his free time? Does he even have free time?"

The beast didn't give any nod or shook.

"You know, I do want to know him better. To get closer." She said again, putting another brick. The beast came closer to her, knowing she'll need help to put the next brick in higher end. Ino climbed up to him. "I want to be his friend." She look down the the beast, hand gripped his mane.

The beast leaning down, letting her climbed down from his back. Surprisingly, the beast nodded at her now. "Do you think he wanted to be my friend too?" again, another nodded. "well… at least you and I are friends now." She laughed and tapped the beast's head.

She took a good look at her works for hours; all part of the east end southern wall had been fixed. "I guess we should head back to your owner and see how he's doing." They both walking to the west end, she half expected Sai would already laying down as he supposedly finish his works now.

But no, she found him sitting with back lean on the wall, not even half of west wall had been fixed. He seemed resting on the crumbled's wall shadow, head down.

"Sai?" Ino arrived near him, the Anbu look up to meet her eyes. It's either he was sick or she found him paler than usual.

"Yes?"

"You're not even finished here?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm short of bricks…"

"Then why don't you use your falcon and went to get it from Konoha?" Sai took a long, deep breath before waking up himself. He draw his falcon and climbed up. Ino not sure she was imagining things or the man a little bit shaky than his usual. The falcon set on flying, and just then she knew she didn't imagining things.

Sai's body went a little bit too close to the edge, made the falcon stop its attempt on flying, getting back on ground to maintain its rider. Ino run to him, stabilizie his body. She touch his neck since his forehead was covered by his head protector to check his temperature.

"You're caught on fever. Why don't you tell me earlier?" Ino helped him to the nearest tree, force him to sit beneath the comforting shadow. Sai touch her hand on his neck, smile sheepishly.

"Your hand is cold. It feels nice."

"It's because you're high on fever. Your body practically burning right now." She took off his forehead protector. Ino's hand glowing green and touch his burning forehead. Sai felt rush of win breeze upon him now, cooling down his body. He opened his eyes to look at her. She concentrated on him, barely paying attention to his eyes on her.

"What are you eating this morning?" Ino put his forehead protector again. Sai shook his head. "no breakfast? What time do you wake up this morning?"

"Around four, I think."

"You have mission since four in the morning until eight and you haven't had any breakfast?" he nodded. "do you even eat last night?"

"I recall falling asleep as soon as I reach home." Ino sighed in annoyance.

"Wait here. Don't wander off anywhere or else I'll punch you until you can barely think." She climbed on his falcon, leaving him with his beast beside him. Sai watched until his falcon and her gone into Konoha's sunny skies.

"Working hard with her?" he looked at his beast. The creature nodded. "I think she likes you… strange woman talk to ink."

* * *

Ino arrived in no time, while Sai still sitting against the tree, not moving even an inch.

"Eat and rest." She handed him a box of bento and orange water. "you're restless and hypoglikemia. Dismished your chakra's beast and falcon to save up your energy, I'll do the rest of the work."

Sai refused her bento, his eyebrow knotted. "Then I basicly didn't do anything at all."

"Your falcon helped me get remaining bricks. Your beast had helped me before. Now it's just you who should help me by sitting here and eat."

"Ino," he called her sternly. "It's our mission, not yours solely." Ino frowned.

"That's why because it's our mission I do the part for you while you cant. You'd do the same for me anyway. I thought you had learn much about teamwork in team seven, didn't you? Friends do not leave one behind." He listen to her words, his grip on her refused bento wavered.

"If you do it alone it'll take until late afternoon."

"I'm stronger than you think." She commented, putting the bento and keep it on his hands. "eat and rest, Sai. The faster you listen to my advice, the faster you'll get better, and the faster you can help me back."

She left him and went back to work on west wall. He looked at his beast and falcon, deciding it's best going on with her plan rather than interfering. He didn't look at her as a weak woman, to be honest. He never did. He knew exactly how stronger she was when they're on battlefield and he had seen many times she saved others with her medical jutsu. He thought woman would like it if he offered them courtesy and help, but with Sakura and Ino looks like on the contrary; it'll offend them. So Sai dismissed his falcon and beast, gathering his chakra back.

He ate his meals in silence while observing her from afar. Ino used her chakra to step up to put brick on higher ends. Her chakra control is great, not once she faltered or stumbled. He felt like he saw her actually flying. She didn't mind so much about the heat and sweat, she used her own handkerchief to swep away the sweat. Sometimes she just use her bare hand. Below the sun, her hair shinning like a golden stream.

 _The girl with sun on her hair_ , he dubbed her.

She had lean figure; a little too thin in his own opinion. He didn't understand why she insist to go on diet ( _he overheard Sakura and Ino had this conversation when he passed them of cafetaria's hospital_ ) while she actually had the figure he considered 'thin enough'. She was actually quite easy on the eyes, considering he knew many men, shinobi and civil, who had eyes on her.

Even his fellow Anbu would talk about the infamous Yamanaka matriarch. She often came to HQ based on Ibiki-san request, and rumor said it's only matter of time she'll earn the Anbu vest and joined them in Interrogating Division. He learnt she had great sense of friendship among her comrades. Judging from other's talk about her bravery in mission to protect her comrades, putting her life on stakes, her loyalty to them.

He hadn't yet experienced those talks about her, but he's sure of it now. Sakura once told him that he should talk nicely from Ino now since she put great effort on saving him while on Land of Silence ( _this maybe the start of his conscious-self near her lately_ ) and he did remember how relief he feel when she saved him. Now she did it again.

Ino stepped back to see her own works, half of the wall had been done. Her long, blonde hair put on neat ponytail will swing back and forth as she works. He wonder how to keep those haired always looks good, while he himself always had the need to cutting down his longer hair. He wonder how would it feel against his skin; he had read it somewhere that a girl's hair is as soft as a silk. He hadn't yet a chance to try touch Sakura's hair, his love for his life win over his curiosity.

He wondered how her delicate form could handle such a heavy work, and why she even accepted it. Those fingers of her dancing on the hardness of brick, around the hot burning walls. Those fingers would perfect if it was on the flowers, just like she always did on her shop. He knew she own a flower shop, but he never once come, since he never had any need for flowers.

Beneath the tree, Sai realized this was the first time he actually pay attention to her. Yamanaka Ino was not just a name with blurred face in his head; he had great details on her form, and now with more and more information added about her. With all that, his curiosity peak too, hungry for more information about her he hadn't yet to know.

Slowly, Ino took his interest.

* * *

Ino ready to jump to put another brick in higher end when the black ink beast came closer to her. The owner had walking up to her from his post beneath the tree.

"Oh, feeling better already?"

"Much better. Thank you." She gave him the brick on her hand and sit, leaning against the walls. She commented about the heat practically burning her skin and she wished to have cold shower after all of this. Sai drew big umbrella ink to protect her from sun stroke.

"Geez, you could do that already from the start."

"Women are hard to read. I wouldn't know if you didn't give me clue." He retorted, putting the brick. Ino snickered at his blunt answer, but then take a good look at him.

"Hey. Why you accept the mission if you just barely finish one?" he looked at her as if she just ask a basic question.

"Wasn't shinobi supposed to accept mission? What else they'd do for life?"

"You can deny it though, if it's only a D-rank or C-rank. And you have good reason for that, according to your health." Sai shrugged.

"Maybe because I don't know any other way. I never deny a mission." Ino's gaze softened at him.

"Is that what you do during your ROOT time? not a chance to deny a mission?" Sai stopped midtrack, unsure how to answer. He didn't talk much to anyone about his past life.

"Not even chance to questioned." He finally replied. "We had ROOT seal on our tongue so the information about organization wouldn't leaked out. One would die if they talk about what's inside organization." He informed her the same thing he once told Naruto and Sakura.

"Why? But that's cruel!" Ino suddenly stood up, facing him. Sai almost stepped back because her sudden leaning over him.

"Because ROOT has done many questionable things for the sake of Konoha." He answered. "assassination of Sasuke Uchiha was one of it."

Ino blinked, hearing that. "But now you're not part of it again. You should stop accepting mission just for the sake of country."

He put down another brick and face her.

"If I didn't do any mission, I'd be no use for this country,"

Ino's thick eyelashes battled down against her skin below her eyes. She had those big, aquamarine shade of eyes that captivating him. Silence engulfed them, then in sudden she punch him hard on chest, effectively sending him fell backward.

"Ouch, what's that for?!" although it's not a deadtly punch, it still stinging on his chest.

"It hurts isn't it?"

"It's beyond hurt." He replied, annoyed. Ino watched him stand back on his feet again before continue. She had her hand on her hips, eyes glaring at him as if he just do something that made her angry. Up until this second, Sai had no idea what he done wrong. Ino pointed at his chest, right where she had hit him before.

"You felt hurt, that prove you're a human. Not some lifeless weapon used to do mission. So stop made yourself as a robot and start to life like any man would do."

He left stunned with that, her words sunk into him.

"Geez, you're way too slow. Give me those bricks." She commanded bossily.

It's the first time they both work side by side, fixing the crumbled walls. Somehow, it felt funny as if they just fixing broken part of themselves.

* * *

It's late afternoon, right when sun sets they finally finish the south wall.

"I'm heading home now. You're coming?" Sai shook his head at her offer.

"I'll stay here a little bit. You can go first." Sai's beast drew himself closer to her, as if telling her go ride on his back soon.

"You lend him to me again?" she pointed at the beast. "you can make him into Konoha's public transportation." Sai raise his eyebrow, not really catch her jokes.

"You said you're friends with him. I let you spent more time with it."

"I didn't meant it when I said I'd get used to it as pet… wait, I didn't told you anything about me being friends with your creature, did I?" Sai blinked. "I did talk to him, but…"

Ino closed her mouth in sudden, eyes bulged.

"Y-you heard all that?!" she pointed accusingly at him. Sai titled his head in innocent smile.

"My chakra infused ink creation was part of me. I can sense what it senses and hear what it hears…"

Ino went all red hearing that.


	5. QUATRE

**QUATRE**

Summer has come to and end, though the dry weather remained. It's another peaceful day in Konoha, usual day for Sai to sit silently behind the tree on old team 7 ground, drawing everything that catch up his interest. Today he didn't feel like training, it's just too good of a day to spent with sweat and blood.

He already had some broken ribs when Naruto forcefully ask him to spar yesterday. He suspect that day Naruto and his woman ( _who is that again? Ah, that white-eyed woman… Hyuuga Hinata?_ ) had some arguments that made the self-proclaimed future hokage went rampage, he just an unfortunate man who passed by a pissed Naruto and fall victim.

Sakura did warn both of them not doing anything today, until their ribs can attach themselves properly. Seeing Naruto didn't came to get him into another spare again, he safetly assumed maybe today Naruto and Hinata had made up… _hopefully_.

He set his palette and brush neatly beside him, his sketchbook opened widely on his lap. It's so peaceful nowadays that almost nobody train regularly. Sakura is busy with her new promotion on Konoha's Hospital, Naruto went training right under Kakashi as the next Hokage ( _by training means he went a lot to another country and finally learn to be a proper Hokage who sit by desk, not some 16 years old-brat-who-always-goes-rampage._ )

Well, it's been more than two years since the Great Shinobi War, anyway. Many things had changed. And slowly, Sai had to admit that some things in his life also change. His hand took the brush, but nothing goes in his mind.

Now that he feel everyone already had their own path, no more togetherness as team seven. Sai didn't understand what lonely is, but he had search it up on one of his books and the description fit perfectly on whatever this feeling is. He had life, yes, up until today Morino Ibiki favour him too much; he always sent him on the furthest, hardest, too low-of-life chance to come back safely-mission ( _at some point he thought maybe the scarred-face man actually trying to get him killed in the mission. But hey, never questioned the man who command you, right?_ )

But being on the mission with Anbu didn't same with being on a mission with team seven. No one helpful enough to help him understand how to be a decent human being. When it comes to mission, success comes first, everything else can follow later.

With the changes happened in his life, Sai slowly had to admit that he lost some of his life. Everyone busy with their own. But he didn't go anywhere. He was walking on the same place.

Sai put down his unused brush, lean on the tree further. His eyes drafted to the clear blue sky above, where the sun had settled behind clouds. _It's gonna rain_ , he knew. He walked here because the sun was so bright before it's impossible to rain soon, but now after he get here, the sun had decided to go back behind the clouds.

He shrugged, no matter how chaotic his mind is, he couldn't just sit here and get wet. He's on a mission tomorrow morning, and being sick because of rain wouldn't get Ibiki's permission not to go on a mission. The pale man packed up his things and get up from his favourite spot under the tree.

His down mood affect his usual drawing. _It's lifeless_ , his artist instinc harshly commented. The draws he made now lifeless, meaningless, just like… him. He had lost his touch, in his personal comment. His mind is hungry to find inspiration.

* * *

Ino can feel the rain's getting harder and harder. If only she didn't spent too much time gossiping with Sakura on Hospital, she would come back on time before it's raining this hard! Everyone on the street start to get shelter as the rain fell harder, and so she is. Yamanaka flowers shop is only two block away from the left turn…

"Ah!" her eyes capture the man on her way before fate made them bump into each other. Fortunately Sai catch her at the right time before she fell butt first on the hard ground.

"I'm sor−" before he started to apologize, Ino had already took his arms and took him run with her.

"Talk later, let's go before it's raining harder!"

* * *

They arrived safely on the closed shop, while the rain goes beserk out there.

"Wait a sec, I''ll turn on the lamp." The blonde haired woman left him on the door, then the lamp inside the shop now turn on, she came back behind a door.

"Here. Dry yourself first." Ino offered him a towel, which he took silently.

"…thank you." He manage to give his usual smile. He rub the towel on his body as she watched. Ino giggle and suddenly took another towel to rub in his head.

"You should dry your hair first, It'll stop you from getting headache." The moment their eyes met, she stop her hand. It took her few second before she realize she basicly hold his head on her arms.

Ino let go of her arms abruptly and step back, her face flushed red. "I'll go change and try to find dry clothes for you."

She leave him again, puzzled.

* * *

Sai finished drying his hair when the blonde woman came up again.

"I can't find anything appropriate for you to wear in my spare clothes… I hope this jacket big enough for you." She handed him the biggest clothes she could find on her spare clothes shelf on the back of the shop. This is her own shop, sometimes she had to work until night here to took care of the flowers after her jobs on Interrogation Division was done. She didn't open the shop much now, so there's only leftover.

"You can use the washroom on the corner," she pointed back, where she had gone minutes ago.

"Thank you," again, the usual smiled played on his lips. Somewhere inside her heart she always bothered by his smile. _Was there ever a moment when it's really sincere? Or it's always been, but she just can't get it?_

Sai's bags on the door catch her eyes. A paintbrush was visible on the opened side. So this man was painting before the rain cames. His sketchs must be wet!

Without asking his permission first, Ino took the bags and opened it, find her assumption to be true. She took away all his belonging and put them on the table, while hanging the wet bags on the hat's hanger. His sketchbook was so ruined she barely can open the sticky paper together. She felt panic, if she force them, the paper will surely break…

"Why you took them all out?" she almost jump because of shock. Sai stood behind her, hair dishelved because of excessive towel-rub, she assumed.

"Your bags is wet. I thought your sketches would be wet so I took the all out to dry it."

"They are fine." Ino raised an eyebrow.

"They're wet and you said they're fine?" he felt like scared little boy under Ino's gaze. "You're not usually wet under the rain, I know you can draw your own umbrella. Are you low on chakra again or what?"

"I don't bring my chakra-infused ink today." Ino's eyes went rounder.

"You have a day-off? Wow, if I were you I'd spent it snuggled on bed at this weather."

"I'm thinking on doing sketches before, but it rain in sudden."

"The weather is unpredictable lately," she commented. "By the way, have you heard about Sakura's promotion? She's basicly the next Tsunade on Konoha's hospital."

"I heard that."

"And Naruto now officialy begun his training as the next hokage. I guess not much mission together for team seven, then? Are you gonna tag along with another team?" he shook his head. "ah, I forgot that you usually went on sole mission in Anbu…"

His blackcoal eyes gazed to the pouring rain outsde the glass door, when it seems splashing angrily to the ground. Sai turn around his head in sudden to meet Ino's face. "Ino, have you ever feel lonely?"

The blonde blinked her eyes several times. This is the first time he ever intiated a talk to her beside a usual daily stuff.

An unusual question, add that.

"Well… yes. Why?" she wasn't sure where this conversation go.

"I am feeling uneasy lately, with the newly circumstances you talk about previously. And as I read on the books it fit the description of the emotion called 'loneliness'. I am not sure though. Say, how do you get rid of that feeling?"

Her baby blue eyes stared at his blackcoal ones. When they are like this, she couldn't help but feel as if she knew him long time ago, just like whenever she talk with Shikamaru or Chouji.

"I'll talk to my friend." She said simply. Ino relaxed herself by leaning on the table, hands on her cheek. "If I with myself alone, I'll get more lonely. If I didn't feel like talking to my friends, I'll go to crowded place like café or hospital and just sit there, doing whatever makes me happy. Eating alone in a crowded place didn't always mean you're lonely… sometimes we just need need time for ourselves."

Sai studied the woman before him, his eyes trace every emotion played on her clear blue eyes.

"Did something happen with you? Is that why you said it's okay eventhough your sketches are wet?" She unconsciously take a step closer to him, where he can see her iris clearly. "If it's because you feel like those who close with you slowly drifted apart… then you're not alone. I feel the same too."

Ino took a sighed, eyes wandered afar. "It's always been three of us. It's hard the first time we lost Asuma-sensei… but it's because Shika and Chouji I can keep moving forward."

He listen to her closely.

"But now they're find their own soulmates and soon, marriage would indicate the end of our togetherness. Soon, I had to accept I won't be their first priority of woman again." Ino forced a fake laugh which Sai understand.

"I don't care of not being their priority. But I do feel bad because I don't get the chance to have mission with them again." His eyes show no emotion. "…but I do get used of being alone anyway."

Ino stare at him, then unconsciously patted his head.

"You look like a lost puppy right now. It makes two of us then. Maybe two lonely people can make a good company." She smiled, meant it for a jokes because he surely look pity right now. She intended to cheer up the atmosphere.

But what come next surprised her; Sai smiled at her and tapped her head too, mimicking her. She felt her heart beating faster at his first intitated touch upon her.

"I'd like that."

Ino left on a daze, not sure how to reply.

* * *

Sai's hand still touching her hair gently, from the top of her head now sliding to her back. "…I read that a woman's hair would be as soft as silk, but it actually feels a little bit harder."

Ino slap his hand away in annoyance.

* * *

A/N : i'll update back to back as a bonus since I've been in a year hiatus from this story, see you in chap 5! :)


	6. CINQ

**CINQ**

Sai had two things he likes; drawing and calligraphy. He spent most of his free time by doing either two of them. Sai particulary don't really have favourite spot to do sketching; he likes doing things on his own, respectively a deserted places where no one would bother him or distract his interest. He once sketching alone on forest when he noticed Hanabi's kidnapped, that leads to a rescue mission and ended up with Naruto's blossoming love with Hinata.

Up until this time, he still don't get it how a man as lousy, loud and obnoxious as Naruto could ended up with soft-spoken, well-manered, always shy Hinata Hyuuga. He had read it somewhere that opposite do attract, and their behavious while on the mission that time indicating the blossoming feelings before it truly sealed by their kiss on the moon.

Sai still held the kissing-over-the moon-picture clearly on his head. He may want to try it someday _(he wonder how much chakra he should put on his shoes to be able to leap that high. The woman must've also a capable shinobi, or they wouldn't be able to maintain enough time on the sky. Maybe people in Iwa could, afterall their Tsuchikage can fly, cant him?)_ , only if he ever found any woman considerate enough to let him kiss her.

Ino had told him before one way to get rid of lonely feeling is by going into less lonely places. So today he choose spot on Hokage's Mountain, near main way. He'd easily spot people from he sit, but he doubt it anyone would found him. He likes to observed people, but while doing his hobby he didn't like to be disturbed. Perfect place.

* * *

Ino went to Hokage Mountain this morning to pick some wild flowers. She knew what flowers would bloom at what time, she even had special noted about them. This is how she always knew what flowers to pick in what season.

At eight in the morning, not many people around Hokage Mountain. She's humming a melody while walking the main path, hands holding the flower basket. Just halfway into the top of mountain, Ino can sense a familiar presence. She looked around but couldn't see the owner of the chakra.

"Sai?" Ino called his name in low voice. On the far tree, the called man popped up his head.

"You're calling?" he asked from the highest branch.

"What are you doing there?" Sai showed her his sketch book on his right hand, Ino quickly understand. He looked at her form, then to her basket.

"What are you up to, Bijin-san?"

"Picking flowers. Alright, see you then." She waved him before heading to her own way. Ino should've knew that unexpected man usually come at unexpected places.

* * *

She finished getting her flowers. Today's weather is cloudy, a good weather to lay down in grass. Ino chuckled at thought of missing someone whose hobby is watching clouds while laying on the grass. She missed Shikamaru lately, she thought of writing a letter today for him, along with a buqoet for Temari. In Suna, almost all places covered with Sands. It's should be hard to find a flowers to give, if Shikamaru could really drag his ass to do as much. Ino laughed at the thought Shikamaru wouldn't bother to give Temari a cactus when he pick her up for a date.

She took down the same road and this time, could clearly see black haired male laying on grass. Curious, she came closer to him. She knew he must've feel her coming closer, as he stirred in his position. Sai had his sketches book closed near him, while he's closing his eyes with hand as a pillow. He opened up his eyes when he felt she sit beside him.

"Can I sit here?"

"You already did, why ask me after?"

"For the sake of formality," she retorted. "Well, if you bothered by me, I can always go." Sai awoke, using his hand as leverage.

"I don't. Please." he said quickly, afraid she'd take it another way. He noticed her basket now full of flowers. He lied down himself again, relaxed, while she watching down at the scenery before her. They can practically see whole Konoha from here.

"You're sketching Konoha? Can I see it?" he nodded and she began to flip down his sketches. "Wow. You have a skill there. It's really good." her eyes look at him in awe.

Sai sat up, eyes blinked at her praise. "…really?"

It feel odd. He had this moment before. Someone opened up his sketch book and say good things about it. _Ah… it's Shin._ He recalled the blurred memory. He had once surpressed it when he was a ROOT.

"No wonder, you have great details of your ink creature." He have hard time to accept the fact someone just praise him.

"Thank you." He gave her his little smile. Ino finally joining him in laying down and watching the clouds, the habit she picking from Shikamaru.

"How's your mission lately? Still have no time to eat breakfast?" she chuckled a little when he once down because lack of proper meals and sleep because he dubbed himself as lifeless weapon to do mission.

"Ibiki-san don't really like it the first time I ask for a prolonged mission. I told him because I had another investigation going on straight from Hokage and I couldn't maintain two at once… but at the end of the day he accept that. Now he made rule I can only accept one mission per day."

"If only I can made that rule in hospital; one patient per day. But that's asking too much." Ino laughed at herself.

"Is it hard?" he turned to face her, somehow laying together and face each other at this proximity didn't made him feel awkward. Maybe because he had been with her numerous time lately.

"What?" baby blue eyes staring back at him.

"Being a medic-nin, botanist, and Investigator at the same time?" Ino turn her gaze back at the clouds, thinking of his question. She laughed at little.

"Honestly? It's fun. I got to do things I like and being respected for it." Ino turn her head at Sai. "how about you? What's your hobby other than sketching?"

"Hmm… I likes calligraphy. Watching sun sets. Reading books about human emotion and relationship."

"Maybe I should borrow one of yours in order to find me a proper boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?"

"Yes. Don't tell me you don't know what it means?" Sai went silent. When Naruto and Hinata began dating, Naruto borrow his book about romantic relationship. He wasn't sure he remember correctly what the book said about that term. But judging from Naruto and Hinata, he can conclude it.

"It's when a man and woman commited to a mutual feelings of love called relationship. Naruto is Hinata's boyfriend."

"Yup."

"I thought you already had one." Ino sat up and look at him, face flustered.

"W-what?! Who told you that?" Sai also woke up, using his hand as leverage.

"You and Sasuke Uchiha…?"

Ino stood abruptly, surprised him. Her face flushed red, not from shyness, but he noted it's from anger.

"Who told you things like that? is that Lee? Kiba?" Sai stood up, not really understand why she seemed so mad about it. He had the feeling any name came up will sent straight into the hospital. He still considerate enough to save the names.

"I just heard rumor went along… and with all men talking about you, I think you already have boyfriend." He quickly added. "even my comrades in Anbu are talking about you."

Ino's eyes still glare with anger. "What are they talking about?"

"You." Ino held back the urge not to punch the pale nin right away. "They said something like you're hard to get."

Ino heart softened hearing that.

"Though I don't really understand what they meant. I had touch your hair before and though it didn't exactly feel like silk, it wasn't very hard too…" Ino felt her lips cracked into smile. "And your hands when you tend to my fever. If your skin that hard, flowers would surely crumbled on your fingers. But they don't."

Ino took a deep sighed before sitting back. Sai follows.

"I have no boyfriend. Not ever. Even Sasuke." She admitted. It felt heartbreakingly funny to let the man-kid hearing her love life. It's like she's pathetically telling a 10 years old boy about her poor love life.

"That's odd…" he muttered slowly, his face contorted in deep thought.

"What's odd?" Sai keep his eyes locked at her.

"Because everyone seems to like you. And you seems to like them back. Isn't two people who like each other supposedly in a relationship?" Ino frowned.

"Not really. You need love to be in a relationship. But you can like someone just as friends, as comrade, and thus you don't need to be evolve in a relationship."

Sai nodded solemnly, maybe it's time to ask his book back from Naruto. "Aa, I understand it now. Thank you for explaining."

"Well… I should go now. These flowers can't survive long without water. See you another time." they gave each other last smile before Ino went down the path, leaving him alone.

* * *

Another day, Ino came visiting him on his usual sketching place. He was leaning on a big tree, made detailed sketch of Hokage's tower from afar when she greeted him. Ino sit right beside him, donned on her Konoha flank jacket. He didn't have to ask where she come from, she must've just finished a mission.

He stopped sketching when she rolled up her sleeves and showed angry red marks there. Blood still dripping down the wounds. Her other hand glowed and healed her injured arms.

"Why not going to hospital?" he asked, watching the red skin back into normal.

"Then forced to attend another rounds? No, thanks." Now he knew why Sakura always seems like she didn't sleep at all; because basicly medic-nin had no time for themselves among hospital's duties.

"Why not come back at your apartement?"

"I just came from forest. It's closer to come here." Ino lean her head to the tree trunk. "I'm low on chakra. If you don't mind, let me rest here." Sai didn't bring his ninja gear when he's not in mission, so he didn't bring his chakra infused ink. He only had his usual pencil and sketch book. He couldn't draw his beast to send her home.

Least he could do is letting her rest there.

And so he did. Ino watched him do sketching with half-lidden eyes. She'd make one or two comment about his stroke, and he'd listen. He asked her about the mission and she told him about rescuing kindergarten kids from a giant bear result in those red marks on her hand. As time goes by, Ino fell asleep while leaning on the tree trunk. Sai would wait there, sitting patiently while making other sketchs eventhough it's about time he went back home.

He glance at her sleeping face beside him and unconsciously imprinted it in his mind. _They're right_ , he silently thought about what his comrades said. _Yamanaka Ino is beautiful._

* * *

It's another week when Ino came again after picking up wild flowers. She sit beside him and start talking about Shikamaru's newly letter for her. Sai didn't really pay attention to what she said since he's busy paying attention at her.

Ever since being with Naruto and the rest of team seven, he had yearned to experience bonding with people. Though mostly he ended up offend them and drive them away from him. Konoha rookie had come to adapt at his antics, but it doesn't mean they'll invite him to hang out together.

So frankly, Sai didn't spent much time hang around people. Apart from his constantly tons mission in Anbu, he didn't spent much time with other people other than team seven. Now they're going on each path, he can said he didn't have anyone to spent time with.

Until Ino happened.

He noted that they had spent more time together lately, apart from mission. It's not like he felt she was violating his privacy lonesome time, on the contrary, he felt comfortable with her around. Now sketching is not so lonely afterall. He never shoved her away since she was the one coming onto him. He appreciate her company.

"…then Temari said Shikamaru never boughther flowers. Hey, do you listen to me?" Ino turned her head toward the artist. Sai quickly nodded. "and so I told her that…" Ino continue her story.

Sai's mind drifted back to team seven days. They rarely hang out together, since he knew his place as a replacement only. Although they did accept him warmly, but he knew it's still feel different. Maybe the only one ever spent time with him voluntarily other than mission is Shin…

And Yamanaka Ino.

Sai's eyes stole glance at the blond women beside him. Her long blonde hair fall to the ground as she told him story. His hand touch the hair on the ground between them slightly, feeling the softness on her hair.

 _He can get used to this_ , he thought. _He like her companion, afterall._

* * *

On the day when she fell asleep, Ino awoke one hour later, a little startled. She tried to compose herself when she saw Sai still sit beside her, focused on his sketches.

"D-did I say something while sleeping?" she asked, afraid she'd say something silly during her comatose time. Sai turned his head to her, smiling.

"No…"

"Oh. Thanks God." She sighed. "Thank you for not leaving me sleeping here."

"No problem," Sai still smile at her. "…but your snore is really disturbing."

He went home with bruised cheek that afternoon.

* * *

A/N : and that's chapter 5 :)

Firstly, I wanna make sure that this story is not discontinued. I have the draft of this story until the end, so no worries of me abandoned this story. It's just I've been into another writing project for almost a year back, and I'm finishing my last year of pre-clinic here.

Thank you for those who still reading this sorry :)


	7. SIX

**SIX**

The sun had going down when Sai entered Konoha's gate, body all sore because previous mission.

All he want was a shower and sleep like there's no tomorrow. He decided to take another road since using main road meant he had to go pass Anbu HQ and he was in no intention to meet Ibiki-san. God knows what other deadly mission that man had for him. Beside, using his drawing beast to reach for his apartement was faster than leaping on roof in the main street. He couldn't use his technique in main street since there'll be a lot of civilian and he'd get suspended for using his technique in rather uncommon way.

Sai climbed up his beast-ink and they started running through Konoha's side forest. Just as they passed Konoha's graveyard, Sai's sharp eyes spotted a familiar blonde hair. He unconsciously stopped his beast's run in sudden, almost falling himself. He looked at her from the back of his beast, unsure of what he's doing actually.

There's no one else around the graveyard, maybe because night had entered. But that long, luscious blonde hair and a back purple ninja outfit could only belong to one person, eventhough he can only saw her back. Sai snapped at himself, he practically ogling at her private time. Maybe she was talking to her deceased father. Or her sensei. Or anyone dear to her that died on previous war.

Sai decided he should leave her alone when suddenly she crouched down. He practically jumped out of his beast in anticipation, worried something wrong happened to her. He stopped midtrack when he saw her figure trembled, and her hands hugging her own shaky form.

 _She was crying._

Sai even more not sure it was a right decision to approach her. He stepped back slowly, concealing his chakra so she wouldn't sense him. It meant he had to dismissed his beast too. He went to hide himself behind a big memorial stone, watching her from afar. His mind couldn't provide him well enough explanation of what on earth he was doing right now. He was no peeping tom like Naruto, but here he was, gravitate towards her.

He only knew he couldn't leave her alone like this. _It's almost night, where the sun had sets and night befallen. It'll be dark soon. She was on a vunerable state. Kami knows what kind of bad guy would attack vunerable woman_ , he tried to reasoned with himself.

…but she may punch him to death if she ever find out he caught her in this kind of situation. Afterall, all kunoichis he knew was short tempered and hated being referred as weak or needed protection. Sai felt shiver down to his spine at the scary thought.

Even from safe distance, he still could hear her cries. It was a held back sobs, as if she herself not sure she supposed to let it out like that. He's not used to a crying woman. He made mistakes once when he interfered Naruto and Sakura's love before, resulting in Sakura's tears. He once saw Ino cried when Konoha's 11 decided to kill Sasuke.

And he saw her tears again when he opened his eyes after she saved him.

But this time, it was uncontrollable cries. He didn't get a hold of such a strong emotion, but somehow hearing her cries shook his body. Sai stole a glance at her form, she still crouching down, fingers hugging herself. She was practically clawing her fore arms, if she held herself that tight.

He narrowed his eyes and saw she was crouching down in front of two graves; Asuma Sarutobi and Yamanaka Inoichi. Beside Yamanaka Inoichi, there's Shikaku Nara. Sai knew they were dear people for her she held so much emotion of them. At funeral after Great War, he had seen her cry, but she'll soon being surrounded by her friends. Shikamaru Nara let her hide her tears on his chest, arms secured around her form when everyone else left.

He was there that time, but he didn't approach them. He always thought Ino and Shikamaru had a bond no one else can't touch.

Sai winced when a cold water fell over him; it's raining. He looked at her, even rain didn't stop her shaky form. His mind recalling the last memories; he's pretty sure Shikamaru hugged her that time. Though he didn't stay long to watch them, he was sure at least that gesture had provide comfort in her. Unfortunately, Shikamaru wasn't here in Konoha, and there's no way he would run to Suna and kidnap their Ambassador in urgent matter to hug Ino.

Sai decided on himself. He unsealed his chakra and draw an ink-umbrella, slowly approaching her.

He thought Ino was already knew his presence since he didn't concealed his chakra, but the girl seemed surprised when she look up and find him behind her.

"Sai?!" it wasn't a pleasant greetings, he knew. She seemed angry at his presence. She quickly swept away tears on her face, along with other rain droplet before he came to give her shelter. "How long had you been there?"

If it was some random killer who approached her, Sai didn't want to know what would happen, judging on her blunt chakra sensory reception at this time. A quite gruesome picture of her being killed came into his mind. Afterall, he had seen and do many assassination, death bodies image not really scare him.

But it gave different chills if he pictured Ino lay lifeless in her own blood.

"A little longer." He barely let the words came out. This Yamanaka Ino was not the one he usually see; she was wet and trembling from the rain, and her eyes puffed red. Her nose as red as Naruto when he caught cold. She was pale.

 _Rain and sadness didn't suit her._

"I told you not to sneak on people like that." she maintain her breath, though it's hard since she had runny nose. Ino muttered curse when she couldn't find her own handkerchief. Sai took out his and offer it to her. Ino took it, muttered a little 'thanks' although she still seemed a little angry at him.

"…are you okay?" Sai waited until Ino seems calmer. Her puffy eyes shot an accusing look at him.

"I will be." From her tone, Sai conclude she wasn't in good mood to talk. "Please leave me alone."

Sai moved his grip on umbrella closer to her, offering her his ink-umbrella. Ino shook her head no and slowly pushing his hand back. "I'm fine without it."

The ink-user nodded in defeat and looked at her last time before he turned his back and walk away. She didn't even turned her back to look at him. Sai watched the drenched back of wet golden blonde hair before he dismissed the umbrealla and sealed his chakra once again.

He didn't leave. He watched her behind another grave until moon start to come up and Ino walked away from the graveyard into dark night. He followed her in silence until he made sure she had closed the door of her apartement from afar, eyes all puffy and red, face hard to read.

Her raw emotions are always the hardest for him to undertand. It's like she had tons of expression, and he couldn't get a hold to even just one of them.

That night, the heavy rain did not stop even once.

* * *

Sai didn't come to report on Anbu HQ the next day, fallen victim to the fever. Sakura gave him lots of 'what kind of stupid people walking on the rain?! Can't you draw your own umbrella?!' surprisingly when he came out of her office, he saw Ino perfectly healthy, laughing with Shizune-san.

Woman's emotion will always gonna be a mystery for him.


	8. SEPT

**SEVEN**

"Sai..."

Sai had watched her from afar before he saw her approaching this way, so her greeting didn't surprised him at all. He gave her a greeting smile.

"Are you busy today?" It's eight on the morning, and possibily more than half of Konoha's citizen still fell asleep. There's only two of them in his usual sketching place, so he's sure that question was made for him.

"Not really." He shook his head.

"I'm going to pick flowers. Wanna join me?" Sai didn't think long before he made decision. He put all his belonging inside his bags, this time bringing his ninja gear too, in case anything when wrong. Ino waited for him on the main path, they walk side by side.

"Didn't see you here on the past week," she commented. "busy on mission?" he nodded.

"You're looking for me here?" he asked.

Ino didn't answer, but he can see faint blush on her face. He wonder why, Ino often had this kind of expression and his book didn't say much about it. _Maybe I should borrow more books from Kakashi-sensei_ , he thought. The rest of the walk is silence. He glance at her, she had her head hanging low, eyes focused on the ground. The Yamanaka Ino he had come to know lately wasn't usually this silent.

"Is something bothering you?" Ino looked up to meet his gaze. She gave him a faked smile he knew too well. "I read it somewhere that if a talktative person didn't talk at all, something is clearly bother them."

Ino put a stray of her golden hair behind her ear, an act Sai find… adorable. His eyes glued to this melancholy side of the bubbly-always-cheerful-Ino. Who knew seeing sad side of someone could be so… lovely?

He almost dubbed her 'Miss Lovely' if he didn't remember in what awkward situation they're now. Sai wouldn't deny he thought Ino was beautiful. He is a man and an artist, he knew when to dubbed something or someone easy on the eyes.

"I'll be fine," she answered. Sai noted that Ino's emotion was raw, and she didn't hide it much to prying eyes. _She didn't say she is fine. She always says she 'will' be fine. There's a difference on it._

But Sai just become Sai; he didn't put his nose where it doesn't belong, so he didn't ask more than he should.

* * *

"We're here."

His eyes impriminting the scenery before them; blooming flowers covered the once green carpet. Sai used to Hokage Mountain, but maybe because he didn't keep flower's calendar, he didn't know the usually green grass valley behind the forest could bloom into something as beautiful as this is.

"Beautiful isn't it?" there's a tint of pride in her voice, as if Ino just showed him a part of her. Sai nodded in agreement. He followed her lead across colourful flowers; it's like spash of colors in green background. He never knew that flowers can also bloomed in the middle of autumn. Ino crounched down and carefully took out a golden-white flowers.

"What should I do?" he asked her, dumbfounded. She couldn't expected him to pick flowers too, did she? He didn't even know which flower is what.

"Whatever you want, Sai. You can just sit and draws, or pick flowers with me if you want." He frowned, not sure which options quite viable to him. In the end, he sit across her, opening his sketch book. Ino glance at him, take a peek at his sketchs. He was drawing the portrait of the flowers around them.

"You'll make catalogue of flowers?" she asked.

"What you mean by catalogue?"

"Hm… compilations of the same theme… it's like when you're buying painbrushes? You'll see catalogue of color there." Sai nodded at her explanation, thinking he'd do that later.

Ino move here and there to pick the flowers she wanted, but he only sit there. Sometimes his eyes following her movement, another gracious side of Ino he never knew. She didn't look like bossy blonde who'd shout at anyone to do what she wanted when she picked the flowers. Her movement almost as soft as Hinata, _if not softer_.

His hand brushed the new sketches on his book; one he rip off and put inside his pockets, secure the paper. Sai woke up from his sit and decided to approach her. Ino was sitting by the river, basker full of flowers beside her. She had opened her shoes and putting her bare legs inside the river.

"Are you planning to swim with clothes on?" he asked behind her.

"If I do, would you join?" she looked at him, playful smile on her lips. Sai though seriously for a minute before he too, sit beside her.

"I prefer with no clothes." Ino punch his shoulder gently, a kind of punch he never expected. A weak one, almost as if she just tapped him. "are you low on chakra? Your punch is weak."

"That's because I didn't really want to punch you, idiot. Though sometimes you deserve it for your comments." Ino leaned down, hugging her knees.

"If I'm an idiot then you're a broken book." She blinked at him.

"I... what?" Sai returned her surprised stare. "Did you just say I'm _broken_?!"

"Well... you're like an opened book, but with destroyed papers. Presumably easy to read, but hard to be understood That's why I said you're a broken book." He watched her eyes moved slightly. "Now I understand what people meant by you're hard to get."

Ino's mouth agape at his answer. She turned her gaze back to front, her eyes staring afar across the river.

"You didn't even know me but you unfairly conclude I'm hard to get." Her tone was low and icy. But Sai used to get that, even when he only say the truth. He often offend people when he's not intended too.

"That's why, because I didn't know you… I said you're hard to be understood." He's not sure he had the right words, judging from Ino's spiteful glare at him.

"Maybe those people who said I'm hard to get didn't try hard enough to actually understand me." She said defensively. Ino put her chin against her knees, hiding half on her face on the secure of her knees and arms.

"How you do know they didn't try hard enough?" Ino looked at Sai's newly question. "how can you tell one's trial is hard enough or no, if yourself didn't even see it, or at least, given they the chance to?"

"I…" Ino closed her mouth, hesitant. She then burrow her face back on her arms. "maybe I just don't want them to see the real me. My weakness. What makes me sad. What makes me fell apart."

The atmosphere hanging between them a little too thick. He wasn't sure what to respond either. He didn't understand the feeling she's talking about, so he thought he had no right to comment on that. He surpressed his feeling and emotion, because he was told emotion made him weak when on ROOT mission. But as he knew Naruto, emotion and feelings actually could motivate one into their strongest level. He didn't understand why Ino would do so much to hide her own emotion, as if the world wouldn't accept her to fell on her knees and cry.

 _He never saw that as a weakness._

"You don't have to act tough." He said slowly. "Emotion makes people human, doesn't it?"

Ino looked at him, a little smile played on her lips. "Sai…?"

"Hmm?"

"Even if I am an opened book with destroyed paper, do you still want to try and understand me?" though she hide half of her face, he could still see pink blush adorning her cheek.

Sai gave her a smile, then his hand reached for stray of blonde hair hanging over her cheek, putting it behind her ear. Ino's eyes went wide at his small gesture.

"I honestly don't understand many strange things you said, but I don't dislike you. I can get used with the raw emotions you showed." Black eyes meet baby blue ones. They both staring each other, a moment where they both unable to tore gaze from each other. Until Sai broke off the silence; "Afterall, your temper and nasty behaviour is like Sakura and Naruto put into one−" Ino's punch collide with his jaw effectively, sending him fall backward.

"You really are an idiot," Ino muttered and took off her legs from river, leaving him to deal with his bruised jaw. Sai watched her leave and feel his smile back. A melancholy Ino is no doubt beautiful and gravious in every movement, but maybe he used with this enthusiastic and ferocious Ino better.

 _At least this Ino didn't shove everyone away and cry in the middle of the rain._

He followed her leaving the place, walking down the main path of Hokage Mountain. Ino came back to blabber about how Kakashi should gave more attention and money to keep the environment clean and save the plants. Sai only nodded, just like he said, she often say starnge things he didn't quite understand. But the love for his own life depend on how fast he respond on her question so she wouldn't caught him not listening or else he'll earn some more bruises.

Sometimes it made him think too, why he spent time so much with this woman. Maybe it's because he can't deny her presence. Maybe because she herself had make effort to befriended him and he just gave back the trial. Afterall, not many people want to stay in his way after they knew how socially delayed he is.

 _Or maybe just because she was Ino._

They arrived at his usual sketching places, where he stopped and she looked at his stance, questioned. "I'm going back to shop, you're not coming?"

Sai shook his head. "I have sketches to finish."

"Oh… okay. Thank you for accompany me today."

"Why you invited me there at the first place?" he couldn't stand of his curiosity. "I basicly didn't do anything to help you pick the flowers." Ino shrugged her shoulders.

"Because I want your company…?" she said, more like a question than a statement. "Can't I come to you just because I want?" Sai took his small book and search for something. He then look at her and titled his head.

"Did you just invite me to a sex?" Ino blinked at his blunt question. "this book says that _'going to a man without any logical reason had high chance that a woman wants−'_ " Ino already took his book and fly it somewhere. Sai watch in horror as his book gone to the clear blue sky.

Now gone the last hope of having normal relationship with people.

* * *

Sai sit down on his usual sketching place after Ino gone. He took out the ripped sheet from his pocket; his fingers tracing his sketches there. It's still a rough draft, he planned to smoothed it later and maybe put some colors on it.

 _Cause Ino's portrait sketch would fit better with colors than in black and white._

 _._

 _._

* * *

 _A/N :_

 _Hello again! been long since the last time I wrote in ffn, and good news is I'm finished my pre-clinic phase alive (holiday until graduation yeay!) but the bad news in once I'm on clinical rotation, It'd be even more harder for me to update :')_

 _I'm gonna use this chance to thank you all, dear readers, reviewers, and even the silent reader who came across this story :'))) Although I've been on hiatus, I always read your review and it always made my heart warm :)_

 _Thankyou HinataUzumaki407, guest, rainyrhapsody (I'm still sorry for my grammar, believe me my TOEFL is over 600 but I guess I just plainly suck... but thank you for constructing critism! :)), pepsicola, ken18, arya, fujitezu, sydrian, ribootz, gardeneofcheesecakes, fujiangel, guest, guest, yinkus (yes, I will update aftermah, I promise you! :)), and HikariSeirin (your review is the one pushing me to upload new chapter, thank you very much!)_

 _Next update would be in a few days! :)_


	9. HUIT

**EIGHT**

"I miss Shikamaru and Chouji."

Sai glanced at the woman laying down beside him. They currently were laying down beside each other, enjoying sun setting on flower ground where she usually pick her wild flowers. He was on the middle of enjoying the scenery himself on his usual sketch place when Ino suddenly came up and drag him here, inists that the scenery would look better here _(he didn't see much different actually, but Yamanaka Ino didn't accept 'No' as answer. Correction, she didn't ask, she always command him)_.

"You can see them anytime you want, it's not like they're already died." He said true fact but it seemed like a wrong comment, sensing her deathly aura.

"It's different now. It's not like I could just barged in to Suna or Kumo to see Shikamaru and Chouji." Ino positioned her hand as if she was using her hand seal in mind justu, to capture the sun. "It's a harder now to do field mission with just any shinobi, since they don't get the right timing when I exchange mind. They just couldn't follow me as good as Shika and Chouji."

Sai understand that, he didn't get partenered with much Konoha's 11 too, now that they had went to their own path. The choice became much narrowed, and he had to accept mission with just any Anbu comrades. And just like always, those men of Anbu didn't really as warm as the other Konoha 11. Maybe that also another reason why Ibiki favor to sent him in solo mission.

"Sometimes I wonder what they're doing there… how they're doing, if Temari and Karui made them laugh as much as I see them here…" Ino put her arms in front of her eyes, preventing the sunlight getting into her eyes, but for Sai, it looks like she just tried to hide another emotion. "…sometimes I wonder how happy they're now." She added in silence.

Sai turned his head to look at her beside him, watching her expression carefully. "Are you going to cry now because you miss them?"

Ino turned her head to him, she didn't cry at all. She looked at him with challenged eyes. "Didn't you say yourself emotion is what makes people human? Then why are you asking me like that?"

Sai looked far to the sky that now gave orange color, it'd fit much with Naruto's jacket.

"Because I don't know how to deal with woman's tears…" he admitted. "so that loads of emotion actually confused me."

There was silence followed.

"But if you want to cry, I wouldn't run." He quickly add. Ino looked at him thoroughly, she herself wondering what kind of emotion Sai can actually feel and understand. Ino sighed.

"Sometimes I wish I can turn the emotion off, based on what emotion come through me−"

"It didn't feel good at all." He cut in. "the void of not being able to understand emotion will only feel like a constant fear."

Ino turned her body toward him, so she basicly face him. "Hey... the one I saw when I was in your mind… the boy with silver hair, is that your brother? Sakura once told me you have one."

Sai's mind drifted apart to Shin. It's been long since anyone talked about him. Maybe she was the first one ever ask him about Shin. Watching Sai in silence, Ino took it as clue not to ask further. She closed her eyes, feeling the breeze of wind came upon them.

"Today Sakura accomplished her first ever finger-transplant. I think she wished to do the arm for Sasuke-kun." Ino said while closing her eyes, as if she just talking in sleep. Sai looked at her, a bit amuse because she could be that at ease. It felt oddly on his heart, to lay side by side like this, with her facing him, eyes closed and talking. As if they were old friends who had knew each other for long. Sai learnt that Ino had this gift of making people around her at ease just in a little time.

 _This newly feeling felt oddly exciting and comfortable at the same time._

Maybe because everytime they met, she gave him lots of different feelings and new things to learn in each and every meeting.

"Sometimes I find myself so terrible for envying her hardwork…" Ino opened her eyes slowly, eyes staring at nothing. "there are times when I wish we weren't friends to begin with. It would be so much easier not to care about her achievement then."

Sai never saw this side of her. Their talks ( _actually her talks, he only gave mere comment when she asked. But again, listening to someone can be count as silent conversation, didn't it?_ ) never came this far, usually she'd only talk about usual things about how people's life going on. Or her personal feeling about something, _not someone_. Sai wasn't sure how he should respond since he himself never really put much thought about what he feel toward someone. He never actually thinking about how he ever felt about someone in particular. Did he ever felt something, he wonder himself.

"I feel like I always one step behind her now. Even in love life." Ino moved her head a bit, so her eyes could stare the sky. "she had blossom into this very beautiful flowers…" he stole glance at her and instead of anger or sadness, he found a smile on her face.

 _How could one said they envied but then smiled that sincere and proud, as if other's progress is their happiness? Maybe only Ino can pull things like that._ Sai never stop amuse at the woman's beside him.

It struck him then, the realization that Ino had shared a piece of her with him, her thoughts about someone close to her. Something no one ever trusted him. He wished Ino didn't throw away his book, so he could learn more how to deal with this kind of situation.

"I don't understand human's relationship nor their emotion that much… but I don't think you're a bad friend for her, eventhough your relationship is confusing." he finally said.

"Confusing?" Ino looked up to him.

"I don't know much about friendship since Naruto is the first friend I ever had… but I know when one's feeling is sincere or fake. And yours is sincere."

The sun had settled, and now the sky turn its color into faint dark blue.

"Thank you." She whispered. Ino looked at him softly, the smile on her eyes had back. "hey, Ibiki-san had officially recruited me for Anbu yesterday. What do you think?"

That's not really a news for him, judging how much time she spent on Anbu HQ, anyone know sooner or later she'd be part of it. _Ibiki-san had good eyes in knowing who to recruit,_ Sai noted.

"You'll get the taste of hell." Was all he could say about Anbu's job.

In all honestly, if he could ask for another job, he may not chose to be in that pit of hell reign by the Leader of Underworld called Morino Ibiki. But come to think of it, _he had spent his life there_ , so maybe he already get used with that so called hell _(now he realized maybe that's the most logical reason why Ibiki favor him to be his spawn. He basicly live in that pit of hell all his life. There just no live for him outside Anbu HQ)_.

Ino gave him laugh at that, and for the first time ever, one would laugh because of his bluntness instead of being offended. Sai forgot the last time he was able to made someone laugh, because usually even when he intended to, he always fail. But again, this is Yamanaka Ino, she would probably laugh even if she was offended, given on how she always guarded her feelings.

* * *

They spent more minutes in Hokage Mountain, Ino told him about her previous Interrogation and he'd gave comment in what he seemed fit. In another minutes, she'll just lean back and enjoyed the air in silence.

Sai learnt that he found peace in her talks, and she found peace in his silence.

They walk together down the Hokage Mountain together in silence when night start to fall. Just when they about to part ways to each other's home, Ino muttered slowly;

"I wish I knew you long before Sasuke."

Her eyes look at him in a way made him heart stirred a foreign sensation. Her statement made him wonder a whole night what she actually meant.

* * *

A/N : Chapter 8!

I had promised myself that I'm gonna post new chapter for Moment every week :)

While on waiting, you can read my other work ^^


	10. NEUF

**NINE**

Being on Konoha's Investigation Division means not much field mission. Since getting inside someone's mind required much energy, Ino had to juggling between field mission and Ibiki-request on Anbu HQ. It's been weeks since she's going onto the field mission, half of her life spent inside the dark room of Interrogating wings. These days, they had caught so many bad guy lately that almost every week her division interrogating new bad guy. Not to mention hospital duties never gave her a day off. She barely open her own shop, these days had been the busiest.

It's tiring for both her mind and her body.

Ino finally took a day off, planning to sparring to move some muscle on her body. If she kept this things up, she may ended up as Sakura's patient rather than her colleague.

Ino was walking down Konoha in the morning, taking fresh air when she spotted the man she has eyes on these days on one of training field.

"Sai!" she cheerfully came to him, only to stop because suddenly an ink-made lion running in front of her, bare its teeth. Sai quickly dispelled them before the beast could reach her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The man bow down his head in formal apologize. Ino could see black ink on his tip of fingers, and no one in Konoha use that kind of technique but him.

 _He must be in the middle of training_ , Ino thought.

"Can I join you? How about we spar each other?" she just blurted the question without even thinking twice; something Ino regreted second latter.

First, Ino knew Sai didn't have many close friends, and he only trained with team seven or alone. It'd be his first time training with someone other than his teammates. Second, _they are not very close to begin with._ Hell knows if Sai could anticipated Ino's mind techniques or vice versa. _Just minute ago his drawing almost kill me,_ Ino reminded herself.

But before she could take her offer back, Sai already gave her his signature smile with a little 'yes'.

"Alright… whoever pins the enemy down first, wins?" the man nodded in agreement, face still all smile. "I don't know if you know this or not Sai, but my mind jutsu is−HOLY CRAP!"

Ino jump back in shock, when suddenly the ground shook and appear what look like giant mole, no scratch that, _a monster_ that taken a shape of giant mole. It was his drawings, no mistake.

Ino controlled her breath when the gigantic mole roar ( _what the hell, how in this world a mole can roar? And what's with those sharp teeth?!_ ). "When did you draw him?!"

The smile still lingered on his face, though now he opened his eyes. Blackcoal, captivated yet blank eyes, are staring on her. "I keep him underground before you came. I thought we already started?"

Ino could feel her lips twich, and before she could stop it, her body is on fire. She was in a good mood and her opponent didn't take her easy. She never once face this kind of technique in her history of spar.

Ino jump in time when the mole started running toward her with all his claws− _'holy shit when the hell mole had claws anyway?!'_ −and threw bombed kunais right at Sai. Sai dodged them perfectly, but didn't anticipated the bomb. Once they landed near him, made him fly on the impact.

Chakra focuses on her feet to increase her speed, Ino launched herself at him and finally get to stood face to face while jump in the air. Kunais clashed between them, with each stroke she felt like she _finally_ connected with him in some way. Finally there's something she could understand about him, something they can be comfortable to do together; fight side by side.

Once the landed on the ground, Ino felt the ground shake because the angry mole now aiming for her again. She muttered a curse, hand still battling in combat with the black haired male. Ino bent down and trapped his leg, made him stumble. At the right time, her hand successfully threw away his kunai, made her had him on the neck.

"Now I just had to pin you down." She looked at him on the eyes, the man didn't smile at all.

"I don't think so." He replied, eyes stared at her.

Sai suddenly disappeared in smoke, made her realize that it was only a clone. Ino quickly turned around to search him but in her lost focus mode the mole had already appeared below her, made her stumble on it's forehead. Ino lost grip on her kunai in attempt not to fall, grabbing whatever within her reach in order not to fall. This drawing monster could hurt her, but she couldn't even take a grip on it! This mole has no fur or so whatever, her hands only slipped on black ink when she tried to take a grip.

Before she fell, Sai caught her hand. His strong grip help her to get on top of the mole.

"Thanks." She muttered, sighed before him. "You win." She admitted, smile sincerely at him. The mole stop roaring and sit silently with them rest on top of its head. Sai smiled back at her.

It took her another second before realized he still very much holding her hand. In awkward manner Ino moved her arms, signalling him to let her go.

"I... ehm, I had to go now." She tried to sound casual, though all she felt was butterflies in her stomach because his previous touch. Slowly the mole dug back down to the earth, let them go off its head back on the ground.

Before she left, she turn around once to wave him goodbye, then an with all her might before her heart took the best of her. Sai watched until her back gone, then looked back at his palm, where he had hold her second ago.

At the end of the day, Sai learnt that his heart beat faster when his hand touched her.

He thought probably he should see Sakura just in case he was infected by Ino's touch.

* * *

"You… what?" Sakura put her hand on her hip, one eyebrow raised at Sai's reason for coming to hospital.

"Maybe it had something to do with heart disease."

Sakura laughed at him, punched his chest none too gently. It left a stinging pain that assure Sai some of his ribs must be broken. He had heard rumor of Sakura broke many men's heart who interested in her. This was the first time he really experience it alive, _and he wasn't even interested in her_. Sai felt pity for those men and her patients.

"Baka, it had something to do with your feelings toward her. I can imagine Ino would be over the moon if she ever found out you came here because you feel your heart beat faster from merely touching her."

Sakura left him puzzled on the diagnose room, before a nurse sent him out forcefully.

* * *

 _A/N : I'm reading this again while listening to Ed-Sheeran's Lego House and surprisingly it fits XD_


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